diff --git a/wp-admin/includes/nav-menu.php b/wp-admin/includes/nav-menu.php
index b3ea39b1c..b7c3333ce 100644
--- a/wp-admin/includes/nav-menu.php
+++ b/wp-admin/includes/nav-menu.php
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ function wp_nav_menu_post_type_meta_boxes() {
  * @since 3.0.0
  */
 function wp_nav_menu_taxonomy_meta_boxes() {
-	$taxonomies = get_taxonomies( array( 'show_ui' => true ), 'object' );
+	$taxonomies = get_taxonomies( array( 'show_in_nav_menus' => true ), 'object' );
 
 	if ( !$taxonomies )
 		return;
@@ -952,9 +952,6 @@ function wp_save_nav_menu_items( $menu_id = 0, $menu_data = array() ) {
  */
 function _wp_nav_menu_meta_box_object( $object = null ) {
 	if ( isset( $object->name ) ) {
-		// don't show media meta box
-		if ( 'attachment' == $object->name )
-			return false;
 
 		if ( 'page' == $object->name ) {
 			$object->_default_query = array(
diff --git a/wp-includes/post.php b/wp-includes/post.php
index f43099abd..c9cfd6c32 100644
--- a/wp-includes/post.php
+++ b/wp-includes/post.php
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ function create_initial_post_types() {
 		'rewrite' => false,
 		'query_var' => false,
 		'can_export' => false,
+		'show_in_nav_menus' => false,
 	) );
 
 	register_post_type( 'revision', array(
diff --git a/wp-includes/taxonomy.php b/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
index 73145528e..bed3f5ee8 100644
--- a/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
+++ b/wp-includes/taxonomy.php
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ function create_initial_taxonomies() {
 		'rewrite' => false,
 		'show_ui' => false,
 		'_builtin' => true,
+		'show_in_nav_menus' => false,
 	) ) ;
 
 	register_taxonomy( 'link_category', 'link', array(
@@ -232,6 +233,9 @@ function is_taxonomy_hierarchical($taxonomy) {
  * show_ui - If the WordPress UI admin tags UI should apply to this taxonomy;
  * defaults to public.
  *
+ * show_in_nav_menus - true makes this taxonomy available for selection in navigation menus.
+ * Defaults to public.
+ *
  * show_tagcloud - false to prevent the taxonomy being listed in the Tag Cloud Widget;
  * defaults to show_ui which defalts to public.
  *
@@ -264,6 +268,7 @@ function register_taxonomy( $taxonomy, $object_type, $args = array() ) {
 						'_builtin' => false,
 						'labels' => array(),
 						'capabilities' => array(),
+						'show_in_nav_menus' => null,
 					);
 	$args = wp_parse_args($args, $defaults);
 
@@ -286,6 +291,10 @@ function register_taxonomy( $taxonomy, $object_type, $args = array() ) {
 	if ( is_null($args['show_ui']) )
 		$args['show_ui'] = $args['public'];
 
+	// Whether to show this type in nav-menus.php. Defaults to the setting for public.
+	if ( null === $args['show_in_nav_menus'] )
+		$args['show_in_nav_menus'] = $args['public'];
+
 	if ( is_null($args['show_tagcloud']) )
 		$args['show_tagcloud'] = $args['show_ui'];